What works in Costa Rica
9 evaluated practices · All catalogues
Evidence snapshot for Costa Rica
Costa Rica has implemented several evidence-backed programmes across connectivity, environmental conservation, governance, and public services. FONATEL Hogares Conectados connected 287,242 households in poverty with subsidised internet, closing a 22 percentage-point digital gap, while Costa Rica's Payments for Environmental Services programme has channelled US$565 million to conserve over 1.15 million hectares of forest. A 2009 Electoral Code mandate achieved 49.1% women in the Legislative Assembly by 2022–2026, culminating in a historic female majority in February 2026. The Judicial Branch's ChatbotPJ AI assistant handles roughly 5,500 queries monthly, saving over $14,000 per month, while the tax directorate's e-IAD fraud detector exposed an ~₡80 billion fraud network and recovered ₡8 billion in 2025.
Drawn from: FONATEL Hogares Conectados – Subsidised Internet and Device Programme for Households in Poverty (Costa Rica) · Costa Rica Payments for Environmental Services (PSA / FONAFIFO) · Costa Rica's Gender Parity Electoral Code — 49% Women in Legislature (2009–2026) · ChatbotPJ — Costa Rica's Judicial-Branch AI Assistant for Case and Service Queries · CIAT e-IAD — Costa Rica’s AI anomaly detector for e-invoice fraud · Costa Rica's National AI Guide for Teachers — 'Inteligencia Artificial en Clase' · ESPH Procuencas Watershed Tariff Programme (Costa Rica) · Costa Rica's Red Nacional de Cuido y Desarrollo Infantil (REDCUDI) — A Stalling Childcare Network for Working Mothers
Generated from this place's cited practices only. Always check the linked sources. · Refresh
Strengths & weaknesses vs peers
Strengths
Evaluation evidence +0.67
Documented learning +0.276
Demonstrated reach +0.265
Water & soil — retention, infiltration, erosion control +0.24
Evidence of impact / measured public value +0.235
Teacher capability & pedagogy +0.187
Governance, certification & transferability +0.173
Evaluated outcomes +0.163
Transferability / demonstrated replication +0.146
Transparency, fairness & accountability +0.12
Equity & inclusion +0.11
Gender-mainstreaming embedding +0.098
Transparency, ethics & data protection +0.083
Weaknesses
Biodiversity — conservation / improvement, evidenced -0.105
Sustainability (ongoing) -0.147
Curator validation -0.25
Innovation level -0.256
Effectiveness -0.311
Impact on gender equality -0.327
Achievement / evidence -0.427
Efficiency -0.517
Top good practices here
Costa Rica Payments for Environmental Services (PSA / FONAFIFO) · 87
Costa Rica's Gender Parity Electoral Code — 49% Women in Legislature (2009–2026) · 78
ChatbotPJ — Costa Rica's Judicial-Branch AI Assistant for Case and Service Queries · 73
CIAT e-IAD — Costa Rica’s AI anomaly detector for e-invoice fraud · 73
Costa Rica's National AI Guide for Teachers — 'Inteligencia Artificial en Clase' · 60
ESPH Procuencas Watershed Tariff Programme (Costa Rica) · 40
Recommended to adopt or replicate
Transferable practices from elsewhere that address this place's gaps.
Ciudad Mujer — El Salvador's Integrated Women's Services Programme · fit 125
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
SASA! Community Mobilisation Programme against Intimate Partner Violence — Uganda · fit 125
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
Digital Green — Video-Mediated Agricultural Extension · fit 123
- Backed by strong evidence
Kartu Prakerja – National Digital Skills and Financial Inclusion Programme · fit 123
- Backed by strong evidence
LISTA — Tablet-Based Financial Education for Cash-Transfer Recipients · fit 120
- Backed by strong evidence
Rwanda's Land Tenure Regularization Programme — Titling Land in Women's Names · fit 115
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence
Copenhagen Business Hub (Erhvervshus Hovedstaden) · fit 115
- Rated highly transferable
- Backed by strong evidence